Five O'clock Shadow
by Acelover
Summary: This fic is set a month and a half after Edward leaves Bella in New Moon. When Bella is still struggling to process what has happened, a strange figure comes to her in the woods...


"Hey...

A strong gust of wind flew past, making the rose bush come to life. A thorn pricked her arm.

She dug her stubby fingernails deeply into the dirt.

Edward?" Bella whispered.

Everything was silent. The dark, cold air was still and comforting. Crickets chirped, and the lake roared with angry splashes against rocks. It was hard to see at this time of night, but it was easier for Bella to imagine him there, sitting right beside her with that impish grin sketched on his flawless face; him, set in that greek god pose, gazing intently into her eyes as if nothing else was there, and then he would stroke her hair...gently...perhaps trace his cold fingers along her face, too...

Another gust of wind took hold of the surrounding air and, again, the same thorn pricked her. This time, it cut her throat.

Everything inside her; her instincts, common sense and memory, screamed at her to run, run for her life. Her legs became tingly, like the way they do when someone senses or sees grave danger near by.

But there was no need for running anymore.

Bella sniffed and curled up her knees. Edward had left her. After a month and a half had passed, she still couldn't process it. Every night she would listen for him to climb up her window, grab her and throw her on her bed. And then he would lay beside her, just like he always did, and hum that lullaby of his she loved so much. Every time she thought of him now, she would just feel sick. But that never kept her from imagining him still there, holding her in his arms, stroking her long, dark hair...

Frantically, Bella stood up and started shaking her head. The dreaded hole was coming back. She had to think of something else before she did something awful, like fall in the lake. That would without a doubt terrify Charlie.

Charlie. _Oh no, _Bella thought. _I forgot, I'm not supposed to be out of the house after 11. _

After Edward had left, Bella had done some really stupid things, like walk into the middle of the street at night looking very suspicious. Really all she was doing was trying to get herself into danger so she would hear Edward's velvet voice, calling

"Bella...Bella...Bella...don't...don't...don't...what do you think you are doing...doing...doing...doing...?"

"Bella, don't! What do you think you are doing??"

"Uh..wha..?"

Reality came rushing back, knocking Bella's head hard. _Stupid, stupid Mike, _she thought, cursing unintelligible words under her breath. She felt his arms wrapping around her waist. She fought back, trying to push him away, but he refused to let her go.

"Where are you taking me??" Bella yelled, kicking his shin. Immediately he dropped her and they both fell to the ground in pain. His was worse.

"You..were..about to fall into..the water," Mike managed, grasping his leg with both arms. His lips formed a narrow line. Bella fought hard to hold back a laugh.

"Really, Mike, I knew where I was going," Bella said, even though half of that was a lie. No, she didn't know where she was going on land. Yes, she knew where she was going in her mind.

"Oh, really? 'cause it sure didn't seem like it-"

Bella interrupted. "Mike, why were you out here this time of night?"

Mike raised his eyebrows. "I could ask you the same thing. And shouldn't you be thanking me for practically saving your life, rather than questioning why I'm here?"

Tears started welling in her eyes. "Just go, okay? Thank you, but I don't need a protector right now." She did want one, actually. But not Mike. Never Mike. Her one and only protector was long gone.

Just when Mike was about to argue back, suddenly his gaze locked hard on something behind me. His eyes looked so terrified, I thought he was going to faint. He didn't move. Mike was still as a statue. All of a sudden, I whisked around, hearing something rattling in the bushes. Fear flooded my veins. My ears faintly caught the sound of shoes running swiftly, and I knew that Mike was gone, and that it was only me and whatever it was that was planning on eating me for a late night snack.


End file.
